8 results on '"Stefania Macchia"'
Search Results
2. Effectiveness of Lactobacillus-containing vaginal tablets in the treatment of symptomatic bacterial vaginosis
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Vito Trinchieri, Luciana Mosca, Stefania Macchia, Paola Mastromarino, C. Midulla, Marzia Perluigi, and L. Meggiorini
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Adult ,lactobacilli ,Microbiology (medical) ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Placebo ,Gastroenterology ,Statistics, Nonparametric ,law.invention ,Vaginal disease ,Randomized controlled trial ,Double-Blind Method ,law ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,vaginal polyamines ,vaginal microbiota ,Vaginal flora ,business.industry ,Biogenic Polyamines ,probiotics ,bacterial vaginosis ,General Medicine ,Vaginosis, Bacterial ,Bacterial vaginosis ,medicine.disease ,Surgery ,Lactobacillus ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Gram staining ,Infectious Diseases ,Vagina ,Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies ,Intravaginal administration ,Female ,business - Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Lactobacillus-containing vaginal tablets in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and in the restoration of a healthy vaginal flora. Thirty-nine women with BV were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients received either one Lactobacillus-containing tablet or placebo daily for 7 days. Clinical criteria, vaginal Gram stain scores and symptoms were compared with those at the initial visit and those at completion of therapy and 2 weeks later. After completion of therapy, all of the patients in the Lactobacillus-treated group (n = 18) were free of BV, showing a normal (83%) or intermediate (17%) vaginal flora, as compared with only two patients free of BV with intermediate flora (12%) from among the 16 placebo-treated women (p
- Published
- 2009
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3. The standardization of statistical processes: a framework for methodological standards
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Giulio Barcaroli, Marco Broccoli, Nicoletta Cibella, Claudia De Vitiis, Francesca Inglese, and Stefania Macchia
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Statistical Process Standardisation, Statistical Standards, GSBPM - Abstract
One of the highest priority of the European Statistical System is to carry out the industrialisation of production processes of statistical information. Fundamental requirement for the achievement of this objective is to define standards valid for the entire community of official statistics; these standards should cover the various aspects of "statistical business architecture": statistic production processes, IT environment, operational-management framework and research and training. To ensure the start of the standard definition process, the European Statistical System Committee has launched a series of initiatives, including an ESSnet ("Preparation for standardization"), with the task of exploring the issues relating to the standard definition, implementation and management. The ESSnet has concluded its works also producing, among other valuable outputs, a conceptual framework describing the constituent elements of a statistical standard. The role of ISTAT has been crucial in the definition of this framework, that has been implemented in a repository of rules and recommendations, used for the analysis of the methodological manuals in use by National Statistical Institutes, and potentially useful for the definition of common standards.
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- 2012
4. Evaluation of stool antigen test, PCR on ORAL samples and serology for the noninvasive detection of Helicobacter pylori infection in children
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Pier Michele Strappini, Enea Bonci, Margherita Bonamico, Paola Mastromarino, Ida Luzzi, M. Ferri, Fabio Massimo Magliocca, E. Thanasi, Massimo Crisogianni, Stefania Macchia, Raffaella Nenna, and Mirka Guido
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DNA, Bacterial ,Male ,Saliva ,Adolescent ,Biopsy ,serology ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,Helicobacter Infections ,law.invention ,Serology ,Feces ,Antigen ,children ,law ,Gastroscopy ,Humans ,Medicine ,oral pcr ,stool test ,Child ,Polymerase chain reaction ,Antigens, Bacterial ,Helicobacter pylori ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,biology ,business.industry ,Stool test ,Gastroenterology ,Infant ,General Medicine ,Gold standard (test) ,Antibodies, Bacterial ,Urease ,Infectious Diseases ,Gastric Mucosa ,Child, Preschool ,Immunoglobulin G ,Immunoassay ,Immunology ,biology.protein ,Female ,Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ,Antibody ,business - Abstract
Background. Endoscopy represents the gold standard for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. We evaluated three noninvasive tests in a group of children: the immunoassay for detection of H. pylori stool antigen, the polimerase chain reaction for identification of bacterial DNA on the oral cavity and the serum specific antibodies. Materials and Methods. One hundred and ninety children underwent endoscopy for various gastrointestinal symptoms. H. pylori stool antigen and anti-H. pylori antibodies were assayed by commercial kits. The bacterial DNA on saliva and oral plaque was detected by a seminested PCR. Results. Based on the positivity of culture or urease rapid test and histology, infection was detected in 47 patients. The statistical analysis showed that, for the detection of the infection, stool antigen assay is more effective in sensitivity and negative predictive value (91.5% and 96.5%), whereas specificity and positive predictive values appear slightly better in serology (89.6% and 76.0%). Correlations between serum IgG both with patients’ age (r = 0.21, p
- Published
- 2004
5. Characterization and selection of vaginal Lactobacillus strains for the preparation of vaginal tablets
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Lauretta Maggi, Patrizia Brigidi, Ubaldo Conte, Diego Matteuzzi, Paola Mastromarino, Franco Pirovano, Stefania Macchia, and V. Trinchieri
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medicine.drug_class ,Antibiotics ,medicine.disease_cause ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Bacterial Adhesion ,law.invention ,Microbiology ,Probiotic ,law ,Lactobacillus ,Candida albicans ,medicine ,Gardnerella vaginalis ,Humans ,biology ,Lactobacillus brevis ,DEAE-Dextran ,General Medicine ,Hydrogen Peroxide ,Vaginosis, Bacterial ,biology.organism_classification ,Antimicrobial ,Vagina ,Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies ,Female ,Bacteria ,Biotechnology ,HeLa Cells - Abstract
Aims: To characterize and select Lactobacillus strains for properties that would make them a good alternative to the use of antibiotics to treat human vaginal infections. Methods and Results: Ten Lactobacillus strains belonging to four different Lactobacillus species were analysed for properties relating to mucosal colonization or microbial antagonism (adhesion to human epithelial cells, hydrogen peroxide production, antimicrobial activity towards Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida albicans and coaggregation with pathogens). The involvement of electrostatic interactions and the influence of bacterial metabolic state in the binding of lactobacilli to the cell surface were also studied. Adherence to epithelial cells varied greatly among the Lactobacillus species and among different strains belonging to the same Lactobacillus species. The reduction in surface negative electric charge promoted the binding of several Lactobacillus strains to the cell membrane whereas lyophilization reduced the adhesion capacity of many isolates. The antimicrobial activity of lactobacilli culture supernatant fluids was not directly related to the production of H2O2. Conclusions: Three strains (Lactobacillus brevis CD2, Lact. salivarius FV2 and Lact. gasseri MB335) showed optimal properties and were, therefore, selected for the preparation of vaginal tablets. The selected strains adhered to epithelial cells displacing vaginal pathogens; they produced high levels of H2O2, coaggregated with pathogens and inhibited the growth of G. vaginalis. Significance and Impact of the Study: The dosage formulation developed in this study appears to be a good candidate for the probiotic prophylaxis and treatment of human vaginal infections.
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- 2002
6. Technological and biological evaluation of tablets containing different strains of lactobacilli for vaginal administration
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Lauretta Maggi, Ubaldo Conte, Franco Pirovano, Paola Mastromarino, Diego Matteuzzi, Patrizia Brigidi, and Stefania Macchia
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Polymers ,Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ,Microorganism ,Pharmaceutical Science ,Bacterial Adhesion ,Dosage form ,Microbiology ,Freeze-drying ,Suspensions ,Lactobacillus ,Cell Adhesion ,Humans ,Active ingredient ,bioadhesive polymers ,lactobacilli ,urogenital tract infections ,vaginal tablets ,biology ,Chemistry ,General Medicine ,Lactobacillaceae ,biology.organism_classification ,Administration, Intravaginal ,Freeze Drying ,Vagina ,Female ,Powders ,Drug carrier ,Bacteria ,HeLa Cells ,Tablets ,Biotechnology - Abstract
Ten strains of lactobacilli were evaluated for the administration of viable microorganisms to restore the normal indigenous flora in the treatment of urogenital tract infections (UTI) in women. As the strains considered are facultative anaerobes, optimization of the production process was particularly critical to preserve bacterial viability. The microorganisms were formulated in single- and double-layer vaginal tablets. The two layers were characterized by different release properties: one is an effervescent composition that ensures a rapid and complete distribution of the active ingredient over the whole vaginal surface; while the second is a sustained release composition capable of releasing the lactobacilli over a longer period of time. Three different retarding polymers were tested, and all the formulations and tablets were evaluated in terms of technological processability, bacterial viability and stability, and cell adhesion properties of the microorganisms. From the results obtained, three out of ten strains appear particularly suitable for their application in the treatment of UTI. A larger batch of tablets made with a mixture of the three strains was then evaluated, confirming the feasibility of their industrial production and a good bacterial viability in the final dosage form.
- Published
- 2000
7. Pathway of rubella virus infectious entry into Vero cells
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Nicola Orsi, Stefania Macchia, Rosanna Petruzziello, Teryl K. Frey, Paola Mastromarino, and Sabrina Rieti
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media_common.quotation_subject ,Pronase ,Biology ,medicine.disease_cause ,Transfection ,Virus ,Ammonium Chloride ,Microbiology ,Cell membrane ,Methylamines ,Virology ,Chlorocebus aethiops ,medicine ,Animals ,Monensin ,Internalization ,Vero Cells ,media_common ,Rubella virus ,Chloroquine ,Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Viral replication ,Vero cell - Abstract
The mechanism and the kinetics of rubella virus (RV) penetration into Vero cells were studied. By using pronase or acid treatment to inactivate virus which had adsorbed to cell membrane but had not been internalized, it was found that a period of 7 h was required in order for all of the adsorbed virus to enter the host cells. Lysosomotropic agents (monensin, methylamine, ammonium chloride and chloroquine) were used to study the mechanism by which RV penetrates host cells. Virus replication was inhibited if treatment of cells with these compounds was performed for at least 9 h after infection. However, if extracellular adsorbed virions were eliminated by acid treatment following removal of the lysosomotropic compounds, RV replication was completely inhibited by treatment with these drugs for any time period after adsorption. This indicated that the prolonged period of treatment with these compounds necessary to inhibit virus replication is due to the slow rate of RV internalization. None of the compounds had any effect on infection initiated by transfection of RV RNA, confirming that these drugs were exerting their inhibitory activity at penetration. The inhibition of RV replication by lysosomotropic compounds indicates that RV penetrates host cells by the endosomal pathway.
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- 1996
8. Inhibition of cap-dependent gene expression induced by protein 2A of hepatitis A virus
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P. Pagnotti, Patrizia Latorre, Elisabetta Maltese, Alessandra Pierangeli, Mauro Bucci, Stefania Macchia, and Raoul Pérez Bercoff
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RNA Caps ,Picornavirus ,Viral protein ,viruses ,Gene Expression ,medicine.disease_cause ,Transfection ,Microbiology ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Viral Proteins ,Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral ,Complementary DNA ,Gene expression ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Hepatovirus ,RNA, Messenger ,Gene ,Reporter gene ,biology ,Human Growth Hormone ,RNA ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology ,Molecular biology ,Cysteine Endopeptidases ,Protein Biosynthesis ,COS Cells ,Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ,5' Untranslated Regions ,Plasmids - Abstract
The viral protein 2A of hepatitis A virus (HAV) lacks the conserved 18 aa sequence found in other picornavirus proteases; hence, it is unclear whether the induction of CPE by culture-adapted HAV strains is due to 2A-mediated activity. Moreover, the cleavage sites and actual borders of HAV 2A are not known. Accordingly, a nested series of cDNA sequences encoding the segment of the HAV polyprotein (aa 760–1087) were linked to the 5′-UTR of poliovirus type 2 (Lansing strain) and inserted downstream of the gene encoding human growth hormone (GH). Following transfection of COS-1 cells, levels of GH (translation of which was entirely cap dependent) were determined in culture supernatants. Expression of HAV peptides extending from aa 764, 776 or 791 to 981 strongly inhibited cap-dependent translation of GH, whereas cap-independent expression of a reporter gene (CAT) directed by the poliovirus RNA 5′-UTR was unaffected. The inhibitory effect was absent in constructs expressing either the short peptide encompassing aa 760–836 or proteins initiated downstream of the putative cleavage site 836–837, suggesting that the boundaries of a functional HAV 2A may extend from the Gln/Ser junction 791–792 to residue 981, while peptides initiated at the Gln/Ala pair 836–837 may result from alternative cleavage. Point mutations that substituted members of the triad Ser916, His927 and Asp931 abolished the inhibitory effect on cap-dependent translation, suggesting that the HAV-induced CPE may be mediated by 2A protein.
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